WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Western Connecticut State University men's soccer team allowed only its sixth goal of the season before roaring back to gain the equalizer later in the first half and scored twice in the second to post a 3-1 Little East Conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Wednesday afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field.
Ranked eighth in New England, WestConn (11-0-0, 3-0-0 LEC) won the battle of last year's LEC finalists against 2021 champion Eastern (4-3-2, 1-2-0 LEC), sending the Warriors to their third loss in four home contests.
Ranked second to Eastern in the 2022 LEC pre-season coaches' poll, WestConn evened the match in the 20
th minute when sophomore Daniel Russo connected on a 20-year direct kick after junior teammate George Cortes was taken down just outside the box, ending Eastern sophomore keeper
Nathan Yeich's (Willington) consecutive scoreless streak at 334 minutes and 21 seconds.
After 45 minutes of scoreless play, the Wolves earned the tie-breaking goal when freshman Erik Lorent finished off sophomore Gustavo Medina's header in the 64
th minute, and WestConn added an insurance goal with a minute left when senior Payton Blynn scored his team-leading sixth goal on an empty-netter that was set up when Lorent chased down his own rebound of a Yeich save near the end line and found Blynn for a left-footed volley with Yeich still off his line.
Zachary Benson, WestConn's 6-3, 220-pound freshman keeper, needed only three saves to record the shutout while Yeich made six. The teams combined for 17 corner kicks, none of which were exceptionally dangerous.
With Eastern trailing 2-1, Yeich turned away consecutive 1v1 scoring changes by the Wolves to keep the Warriors within striking distance before Blynn's insurance goal in the final minute sealed Eastern's fate. Lorent had the second of those two breakaways, but Yeich denied him on the near right post.
Two Eastern starters left the game with injuries six minutes apart in the opening minutes and and another in the final minute and did not return.
Eastern visits Keene State College Saturday at 2 p.m. in a conference match.
